DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MIXING, IN PARTICULAR DISPERSING

Abstract

A device (1) for mixing, in particular dispersing, includes a housing (2) with at least one inlet (3) and a grinding chamber (13). In addition, the grinding chamber (13) includes a first process region (4) for mixing fed materials, wherein the materials are introducible into the first process region (4) through the at least one inlet (3), and a second process region (5) for diverting the mixture to an outlet (6) as well as a separating device (7) for separating the first process region from the second process region, and a rotor (8) for mixing, in particular dispersing the mixture in the first process region (4), wherein the rotor is drivable by a drive shaft (9). A pump (10) connected upstream is drivable by the drive shaft (9) and materials are feedable by means of the pump (10) into the first process region (4) and the first process region comprises a dispersion volume within the range of 11-501, in a preferred manner of 41-121 and particularly preferred is 61.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A device for mixing, said device including: a housing with at least one inlet, a grinding chamber, a first process region for mixing fed materials, wherein the materials are introducible into the first process region through the at least one inlet, a second process region for diverting the mixture to an outlet, a separating device for separating the first process region from the second process region, a rotor for mixing, in particular dispersing the mixture in the first process region, and the rotor is drivable by a drive shaft, a pump connected upstream is drivable by the drive shaft and materials are feedable by the pump into the first process region and the first process region comprises a dispersion volume within the range of 1 l-50 l, and the pump comprises a pump chamber with an outlet, which is in fluid communication with an inlet of the first process region.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the rotor is designed for dispersing the mixture in the first process region.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the separating device is at least one separating gap.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the separating gap is a dynamic separating gap.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein the separating gap has a dimension of between 0.5 mm and 3 mm.

21. The device according to one claim 16, wherein a recirculation container and/or a recirculation line is arranged between the outlet and the inlet.

22. The device according to one claim 21, wherein the device comprises a recirculation container with an agitating tool.

23. The device according to one claim 16, wherein dispersion grinding aids are pourable or poured into the first process region.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein dispersion grinding aids have a mean diameter of between 1.5 mm and 5.0 mm.

25. The device according to claim 16, wherein grinding tools, which are realized for generating dynamic movement in the mixture for dispersing the fed materials, are realized in the first process region.

26. The device according to claim 16, wherein a ratio of a main line diameter in front of the inlet and dispersion volumes is within a range of between 8 and 16 mm/l.

27. The device according to claim 16, wherein the outlet is connectable or connected to an inlet of a fine grinding stage.

Description

[0100] The invention is explained in more detail in exemplary embodiments below by way of figures, in which:

[0101] FIG. 1 shows a section through a device according to the invention,

[0102] FIG. 2 shows a view of the section through a device according to FIG. 1,

[0103] FIG. 3 shows a section through an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention,

[0104] FIG. 4 shows a view of the section through a device according to FIG. 3,

[0105] FIG. 5 shows a section through a further alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention.

[0106] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a section through a device 1 according to the invention. The device 1 includes a housing 2. Materials to be mixed can be introduced into the grinding chamber 13 through an inlet 3. The grinding chamber 13 includes a first process region 4 and a second process region 5. The first process region 4 has a dispersion volume of substantially 6 litres. Grinding tools 12, which are set in rotation by a drive shaft 9, are arranged on a rotor 8 in the first process region. In addition, static grinding tools are realized in the first process region 4. A separating device 7, which consists of a first 17 and a second gap-forming element 18, is realized between the first process region 4 and the second process region 5. A separating gap, which in particular when dispersion grinding aids are used in the first process region 4 achieves separation of the dispersion grinding aids prior to the transfer of the mixture into the second process region 5, is realized between the two gap-forming elements 17, 18. The mixture is conducted through the outlet 6 out of the grinding chamber 13 out of the second process region 5. A recirculation line 11, by means of which the mixture is conducted out of the second process region 5 through the outlet 6 back via the pump 10 into the inlet 3, is realized in the embodiment according to FIG. 1. The recirculation line includes a recirculation container 19 with an agitator tool. Consequently, optimum reduction of the oversize material can be achieved. Obviously, the mixture or part of the mixture can also be conducted at times or constantly through a line (not shown) into a fine dispersion stage. The pump 10 comprises a pump chamber 20 and a pump rotor 21. The pump rotor 21 is arranged on the drive shaft 9.

[0107] The pump 10, in this case, is a water ring pump. The materials or the pre-mixture are introduced through the pump inlet 15 into the pump 10 and are pumped out of the pump outlet 16 into the inlet 3 of the device 1. The embodiment shown does not have any dispersion grinding aids. However, it is obviously possible to pour these in, if this is wanted. When using dispersion grinding aids, they comprise a mean diameter of between 1.5 mm and 5.0 mm, in a preferred manner of 3.00 mm. The first process region 4 extends substantially along the first gap-forming element 17. Consequently, a high throughput can be achieved.

[0108] FIGS. 3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment analogous to FIGS. 1 and 2. The device 1 includes a housing 2 with an inlet 3. Materials to be mixed can be introduced into the grinding chamber 13 through the inlet 3. The grinding chamber 13 includes a first process region 4 and a second process region 5. The first process region 4 has a dispersion volume of substantially 6 litres. Grinding tools 12, which are set in rotation by a drive shaft 9, are arranged on a rotor 8 in the first process region. In addition, static grinding tools are realized in the first process region 4. A separating device 7, which consists of a first 17 and a second gap-forming element 18, is realized between the first process region 4 and the second process region 5. A separating gap, which in particular when dispersion grinding aids are used in the first process region 4 achieves separation of the dispersion grinding aids prior to the transfer of the mixture into the second process region 5, is realized between the two gap-forming elements 17, 18. The mixture is conducted out of the second process region 5 through the outlet 6 out of the grinding chamber 13. In place of a water ring pump as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in said embodiment a side-channel pump is realized as pump 10. The materials or the pre-mixture are introduced through the pump inlet 15 into the pump 10 and are pumped out of the pump outlet 16 into the inlet 3 of the device 1. The dispersed mixture is conducted through the outlet 6 by means of a line 14 to a fine dispersion stage. Obviously, the embodiment according to FIG. 3 can also be provided with a recirculation line with a recirculation container 19 with an agitator (not shown) analogously to FIG. 1. In addition, it is possible to recirculate part of the mixture and to conduct part of the mixture via line 14 into the fine dispersion stage and/or to carry out recirculation at times and only then to forward the mixture through line 14 to a fine dispersion stage.

[0109] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the device 1 in which the separating device 7 and the gap-forming elements 17, 18 only extend over a part region of the first process region 4. In addition, grinding tools 12 in the form of discs with holes are realized in the first process region 4. The first gap-forming element 17 is the rotor 8 which rotates about the second gap-forming element 18. Both gap-forming elements 17, 18 in each case comprise openings. The mixture flows from the first process region 4 through the separating device 7 in the form of separating gaps into the second process region 5. In addition, the housing 2 comprises an inlet 3 and an outlet 6. The grinding tools 12 are arranged on a drive shaft 9. The drive shaft 9 includes a shaft groove into which engagement cams of the first gap-forming element engage. Consequently, the first gap-forming element 17 is driven by the same shaft as the grinding tools. The grinding chamber 13 includes the first process region 4 and the second process region 5. The first process region 4 has a dispersion volume of substantially 6 litres.